A Trail That Leads to You
by rsaidwhat
Summary: A series of short encounters wherein Skye and Jemma could've met but don't-not yet.
1. The One with Skye's Coffee

Cranky.

It was what Skye was best described when she rolled off the bed and landed with a thud on the floor, had cereals without milk, and found out she bought a terrible kind of coffee from her last trip to the grocery. It was more than _bad luck_ she thought.

A warm bath to soothe the aching tendons in her body, was her best plan of trying to outweigh her bad start. And maybe it was the only good thing that had become of her morning thanks to the minutes she wasted later on, hailing a taxi. Except she hadn't been the most fortunate soul of the day having failed to get one down, leaving her with the option of walking.

There was a coffee shop close to S.H.I.E.L.D. incorporated which she would pass on her way there. She debated whether or not she should enter the shop. If she didn't have at least a single drop of caffeine, she would surely collapse in front of her boss. However, peering into the cafe through the glass windows was a long line. Entertaining the idea of purchasing one will cost her her job. Which at her point, she could _not_ afford to happen. But as a lady pushed through the glass door next to her, Skye couldn't help but slip through it before she got squished.

Skye patiently waited in her seat. She ordered her coffee about an hour ago, and still wasn't served. Her phone battery had gone down to ten percent from her excessive use of internet and apps.

There were a lot of people when she came in and she understood that it would take some time to prepare hers but she had compromised a meeting for one cup. It's not like she was craving or what, it's just that she'd drop to the floor in need of sleep if she didn't have any caffeine. So it meant only one thing: she needed this and she wasn't coming out of the shop without it.

"Hey excuse me," Skye said pulling a barista aside. "I ordered my drink an hour ago and it still hasn't arrived. Any chance I can get that now?"

"I'm really sorry ma'am but you're not actually the only one." He explained patiently. "About five customers have already called my attention with the same concern as well. One of our machines broke down leaving us with one working to serve so many."

He apologized a few more times after Skye released his arm. She was growing impatient and this was quite impossible. Her watch read ten-forty. _Shit._ She could definitely not miss her next meeting. That would cost her her whole job.

Skye drummed her fingers on the table a few more times, before standing up in a hurry and made her way to the counter, calling for the boy she spoke to earlier.

"Do this for me will you?" He nodded and leaned in closer to hear her over the noise of the crowd. "Just give out my cup to whoever has the same order as mine, alright? Tell them it's paid and that they're lucky."

He nodded again to which Skye left with a grumble, still slightly disappointed that she didn't get her order.

"Skye!" A _very_ familiar voice called. Skye could tell who it was at any point of the day. Coulson.

She turned around slowly, hands raised in the air like a child caught stealing candy. She gave him a lopsided smile taking small steps towards him to prolong the scolding. Of course Coulson didn't waste any time and made the huge step closing the distance. That face did not look the very least patient with her. She knew why. Nobody had to remind her of her missed _important meeting with their superior._

"I can explain!" She said as soon as she saw him move his lips. "I got caught up in the cafe. I was buying coffee...for all of us. You know, maybe some beverages for us during the whole sit-down."

"There's coffee in the breakroom Skye," he frowned pursing his lips. _To refrain from throwing a fit,_ Skye thought.

Her stomach churned at the idea of the break room coffee. Whatever it was tasted like dust with water. It was dry and much too powdery and was undissolvable. Even in hot boiling water. She gave Coulson a disgusted look but he shrugged it off. Because that man could stomach that drink, so there was no arguments whatsoever.

To her relief, Coulson let her go immediately but not before handing a pile of work. Of course there was a punishment. She was stuck to be stationed at her desk for at least the rest of the day all so she could type down the hardcopies of their records. Sometimes she wondered whether she was getting paid enough.

At some point she wished she had just stayed for her coffee.

* * *

How long has Jemma been in that cafe? Four hours? A day? A year? She couldn't remember.

She had been sitting in the same chair since she arrived and it was making her ass hurt. She always spent an hour before going to work, in the cafe to lounge around while working on some papers. She had ordered tea but had been long forgotten by both her and the barista. It only occurred to Jemma that it was very crowded in the place when an old lady had requested to use the seat opposite hers. She requested for her tea again and intently watched the boy to make sure he got what she ordered.

Some time when the crowd lessened, Jemma thought of lining up again to personally see about her unserved drink. "Latte? Anyone?" A barista announced holding up the cup for everyone to see. Jemma saw this as an opportunity. Doesn't matter if it's not tea, she'll take it! Relax time was long done. Now, she was running late for a presentation and chose to just grab whatever and go. She made her way to the front of the line and took the cup. As she was handing over her payment, the barista next to the one serving her shook his head.

"It's free." He said wiping up the counter. "A lady earlier decided to give it since she was in a hurry so it has her name scribbled at the cup." He pointed with his chin. "She said to tell whoever got it that you're lucky to get her cup."

Jemma thanked both baristas. Though she couldn't pay for her drink, she left them a tip. It was the best thing to do after their hard work what with all the people at the place. Doesn't matter if she got served late.

Upon arriving in her office, she immediately kicked her sneakers off and wore heels in their place. She took her laptop as well in exchange for her handbag before brisk walking towards the elevator and four floors up to her awaiting meeting.

A wave of cold air hit Jemma's face as she pushed the door into her awaiting meeting. Putting the still warm beverage to use, she took a long sip off of it walking to the front of the room and carefully setting her laptop down. "I'm sorry I'm late, traffic isn't so nice right now." She apologized keeping her calm together. Her hands were shaking. Nervousness was going to take over her body lest she stop trembling.

The meeting lasted about forty minutes. Since she had arrived late, the meeting was ten minutes shorter. There was no bother extending it as Jemma was able to explain everything within the remaining time left. And anyway they had understood her powerpoint well enough to suggest a lot of things to do for their upcoming project.

With that, Jemma returned to her office allowing herself to relax. She crashed on the couch that was provided when she had been offered her position in Sci-Dep. She didn't dream to have an office, a desk among the others wouldn't have been different. Fury had insisted upon it and to object was a risky move. He only shows his signs of gratitude so often it was hard to know whether you were on his good side or not.

She sipped the remaining liquid from the paper cup she still held having only sips taken from it during her meeting. As expected, it had gone cold. Now that she wasn't so busy she toyed with the cup a bit, eyeing the design and the unfamiliar name scribbled on it.

"Skye," Jemma whispered running her thumb across the name, "what a beautiful name."


	2. The One at Dr Simmons' Office

**A/N: So it's been some time since I last updated and that's because I've been having a dose of writer's block! Anyway, I was going over the chapters and was very unsatisfied soooo I re-edited them and made them longer. I added a few this and thats so you might want to check the first chap again!**

 **Mhm, okay I don't want to keep you stuck in the author's notes so I'll leave you to read the second part to this story. This is the one where Skye goes to Jemma's office but doesn't have a clue as to whose office she had been in. Alright, have fun you guys! :)**

* * *

The weather was terrible where Skye went. But that wasn't the only horrid thing she was experiencing. Before she arrived in her office at S.H.I.E.L.D. incorporated, a passing car had drenched her in rain water, her neighbor's dog had chased her out of her apartment hallway and some kid stuck gum on the hem of her shirt.

"You're late, again." Coulson said, dropping a thick folder on Skye's desk that echoed a loud smack.

"Is this where I say good morning?" Skye said with a fake smile. She flipped the cover with the tip of her pen and frowned. "What's this anyway?"

"Fury says he wants you out," Coulson spoke up. "But I justified to keep you around longer. Now go prove me I wasn't wrong to save your ass, and bring this down to Sci-Dep."

"Fine," she huffed, swivelling her chair around to hop off of it and jogging towards the elevator.

Two floors down from her office was where Sci-Dep was located. The place was large and eerie quiet. The few people Skye could see took no interest in her presence and went on working on their lab experiments.

The folder was issued to a Dr. Simmons whom Skye unfortunately doesn't know. It's not like she comes down to hang out in the Science Department. First of all, she doesn't know much when it comes to science which is why she's assigned to Tech-Dep.

"Hi can I ask who this Dr. Simmons is?" She asked pulling a worker aside.

"Are you serious?" The man replies giving her a dubious look. "No you're not kidding. She's the boss at this department."

"Uhuh, okay I need to hand her these papers so where can I find her?"

"She hasn't returned yet, she's in a lunch meeting right now." He said shuffling his own papers at hand.

"Okay but I'm in a hurry," Skye lied craning her neck to see if she could find a place to leave the folder. "Where can I drop this off?"

The man points to the office at the end of the room. "There, that's her office."

Skye doesn't bother to thank him after his slightly rude statements. Instead she makes a beeline for the office and disappears behind the doors quietly. A lamp on the desk was the only source of light in the room which Skye could bear with.

Everything was neat and orderly inside. Nothing was scattered at all. Even the papers on her desk were aligned properly, not one item being slanted. Her hand twitched at the sight of it. "What a neat freak." She whispered. And the idea of being noisy in the room was like a violation of rules. If she dared stay another minute, she might wreak-havoc. Something Coulson would definitely fry her ass for. She could already imagine his words:

"I ask you to bring down a folder of paperworks," he'd say hands on hips, "and you manage to trash Ms. Simmons' office."

She shook her head off the thoughts. The need to tiptoe the two strides to Dr. Simmons' table was inevitable though she didn't know as to why she had to. She left the folder on top and immediately made her way back to the door, avoiding any damage. She knew she was a clumsy girl, it was better if she didn't try leave evidence that she was what she is.

She took one last look at the room and smiled mischievously. Maybe a little sign that she had been around wouldn't hurt.

* * *

It takes about an hour to get to S.H.I.E.L.D. incorporated from Jemma's apartment. It takes about an hour as well to get there returning from her lunch meeting. And that's what sucks. At least she was with Fitz this time.

"What's with the grumpy face?" Fitz asked while they walked to her office.

"I'm exhausted." She groaned. "Aren't you?"

"You did all the talking back there. I can't say I am anyway with the buffet they had there." He chuckled, holding the door open to her office with one hand while clutching a folder in the other.

She tried to muster all her energy to smile at him before walking past him into her office, only to be greeted by a thick folder sitting on her desk. It was signed from her boss, Nick Fury. _Great, more classified files to keep._

There was a growing pile of files in her office that was meant for Level 6 agents only. If there was one thing Jemma was terrible at it was keeping something from someone or anyone. Just ask the question twice and that would get her sweating bullets already. What more if they interrogated her? Who knows how much information they could milk from her.

She shoved the thing aside and plopped down in her chair, dumping her bag on the floor in the process.

"You just arrived and here you are so exhausted already." Fitz tsked perching on the armrest of her lavender couch. "You should know we still have another meeting to attend later dinner." He informed while organizing his papers.

"Can you go without me?" She complained laying her head on her desk with a light thud.

"Jemma, you personally requested those meetings." Fitz answered giving her a sympathetic smile. "I'm only coming around because I need the details for the machine I'm creating."

Jemma inwardly groaned. Of course she was the one who requested. All of which happened when she had been cheerful about the progress of her work. That of which had come to a face-slapping halt when she failed to deliver a full report regarding it. So instead of banging her head on the table she decided to focus on her research typing away on her laptop. The folder was momentarily forgotten until she accidentally hit it with her arm causing the papers inside to scatter and fly out.

"God! Is anything gonna stay put here?" She complained to the empty room as she got down on her knees to fix her mess. Fitz began picking up papers as well.

She reorganized her papers back to it's original sequence then straightened it out when a sticky note fell on her lap making Jemma furrow her brows but laugh at its honesty. It read:

 _Neat freak :P_

"Fitz is this from you?" She asked holding it up for him to see.

"Nope."

"Huh, wonder where this came from."

"Maybe just one of the workers, trying to get on your good side?"

"You never know Fitzy." Jemma stuck the paper on her mug filled with pens. "Maybe it's someone special."

"Could be."


End file.
